State Rep. Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) has filed legislation assisting the protection of taxpayer funds being used for a federal program due to coercion. The 'Taxpayer Equitable Funding Act' or HB 1379 allows the Attorney General to sue and reject any federal program which is deemed to include unwanted local coercive conditions.

"There are too many instances where this Federal Administration has used the strong arm attempt toward the individual states to get their own agenda passed. Hardworking taxpayers should be able to get what they pay for without feeling like they are being held hostage by a failed system. States know what programs are best for their citizens. As it stands now, states are left at the mercy of congressional appropriations with little to no wiggle room. I believe the states could run programs more effectively with more accountability on a local level," Toth said.

The 'Taxpayer Equitable Funding Act' would do the following:

• Maintains the freedom of choice for Texas to accept federal programs if deemed more appropriate without coercion or strings attached

• Allow Texas the ability to work with like-minded states to develop a program that works best for them on a more local level

• Allows for some cost saving approaches to a more effective local program

"Congress has no power to impose some of these strongholds on the individual states. The only way Congress can convince states to adhere to and enforce provisions they would not normally adopt, is through this tactic of holding back funds that taxpayers have already paid into the system with no promise of returning those said funds. This is why I have filed the 'Taxpayer Equitable Funding Act.' If Texas would choose that a more local controlled program would be a better use of our taxpayer funds, we should have the ability to retain all fund toward our own local program and not sent to another state for profit", closed Representative Toth.

Steve Toth is State Representative for District 15, which includes The Woodlands, Shenandoah, Imperial Oaks, Oak Ridge North and Benders Landing along with some of the surrounding areas. He lives and works in District 15 and is establishing a House District 15 Office in Alden Bridge near the corner of Research Forest and Kuykendahl that he hopes to open by February of this coming year.